'Door of Paradise' restored to the public

The public can soon once again admire the gilded bronze 'Door of Paradise' by early Renaissance artist Lorenzo Ghiberti that once adorned the entrance to the baptistry of Florence's cathedral after a restoration lasting 27 years. The work will be on display in the museum of S. Maria del Fiore from September 8. Created by Ghiberti between 1425 and 1452, the door was removed due to pollution damage in 1990, when it was replaced by a copy. The 10 panels were subsequently dismantled and subject to painstaking restoration involving the use of lasers and chemical baths to remove dirt and oxidisation. The new location in the cathedral museum has been decided to protect the work from further damage.